Seat for small boats



June 7, 1949. IA. A. APEL SEAT FOR SMALL BOATS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Aug. 17, 1945 H. Un H Vl IIHIH llulllIlI/ lll gmc/who@ MZK @www

June 7, 1949 A. A. APEL I 2,472,185

SEAT FOR SMALL BOATS Filed Aug. 17, 1945 '2 Sheets-Sl'leei'l 2 mmf m.

Patented June 7, T949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SEAT FOR SMALL BOATS Arno A. Apel, Vcntnor, N. J.

Application August 17, 1945, Serial No. 610,897

4 Claims. (Cl. 9-7) My invention relates to new and useful improvements in boats and more particularly to the seating arrangement for the cockpit of small cruisers, pleasure boats and the like.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide iboat seats (relatively long) that may be quickly and readily swung into position when the seats are to be utilized and, on the other hand, may be quickly swung downwardly and then inwardly parallel with the sides of the boat under the deck so that there will be more room in the cockpit.

Still another object of the invention is to provide swinging transom seats so as to reduce the cockpit area in case of a storm or rough water.

Still another object of the invention is to provide not only foldable swinging seats so as to provide seats in the cockpit when desired, or to provide more space for the occupants, but also to provide the swinging seats with downwardly extending partitions or front pieces that form a substantially water-tight arrangement to reduce the area of the cockpit so that in case of a storm and a rough sea or heavy following seas or even heavy rains, the water that gets into the cockpit will be in a confined or reduced area and also be prevented from leaking or flowing into the bilge.

Still another object of the invention is to provide what I term a flexible seating arrangement wherein the area of the cockpit may be enlarged, that is, when the seats are swung out of the way there will be more room to move around in the cockpit, and on the other hand, when the seats are in their usable position, not only do they provide the desired seating arrangement but they also provide for safety in that they reduce the area in which the water will be trapped in the cockpit in case of storms or high seas.

Still another object of the invention is to provide transom seats with the added function of reducing the oor area to conne any stray water between the seats, and to also arrange the seats so that not only may they be swung downwardly out of the way, but also again upwardly and positioned in against the sides of the boat, under the deck.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain new and novel arrangements and combination of parts as will be hereinafter more fully explained and pointed out in the claims.

Referring now to the drawings showing a preferred embodiment; l

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the transom or cockpit of a boat with the novel seats in their open or usable position;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 1, the dotted lines showing the seat folded back in its inoperable position;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional View taken on line 3 3 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View somewhat similar to Fig. 2.

Referring now to Fig. 1, there is shown a por tion of the stern of a boat with the cockpit I, the main bulkhead 2, after deck 3, the side decks 4, a rear bulkhead 5, and the combings E. There may also be seen the oppositely disposed like seats 'l that extend from the main bulkhead to the rear bulkhead.

Inasmuch as the seats are alike, though oppositely disposed, a description of one is a description of both.

Referring now for the moment to Fig. 2, there may also be the cockpit floor 8, a portiton of the frame 9 and the planking I0.

Secured just behind the combing 6 may be seen the header l I, and secured to this header is one leaf of the respective hinges I2, while to the other leaf of the hinges there is secured whatI term the seat hanger i3. It will be noticed that the upper edge of the seat hanger and the adjacent edge of the combing are oppositely bevelled so that the seat hanger and its seat may be slightly elevated when it is desired to fold the seat in under the deck.

Secured to the seat hanger is the seat top I4 on which is placed the cushion I5 which may be held by the button tabs I' along its rear edge, the tabs being secured to the hanger I3.

Along the front of the seat mayv be seen the trim Il', and running throughout the length of the seat on its rear edge may be seen the cleat I8 which has a small outwardly projecting foot I9 while along the outer edge of the seat is a further cleat 2li. Also, running beneath the seat top I 4 may be seen a stiffener 2l, and these stiffeners are distributed beneath the seat top Wherever a hinge 22 is to be fastened along the forward under edge of the seat.

These hinges 22 swingingly secure the front piece or front board 23 which extends the entire length of the seat l. Bracers or stiffeners 23' are placed on the inner surfaces of the front piece 23 and are arranged to clear the stiifeners 2| beneath the seat top Ill.

Along the bottom of the front piece there is tightly fitted a rubber foot'24 which will form a water-tight joint with the cockpit bottom 8 when the seat l is open and the front piece is in its supporting position.

On the outer surface of the front piece may be seen a small recessed portion 25 with a small plate 2B over part ofthe same so that it is an easy matter for the operator to grasp this plate 26 and slightly elevate the seat as Well as the front piece 23, until it clears the stops 21 positioned on the bulkheads when it is desired to nest or tuck the front piece 23 into the rear cleat I8.

3 The stops 21 will hold the front piece 23 in its vertical position when the seat is being supported. The two side edges of the front piece 23 will snugly fit against the respective bulkheadsZ and when the seat' is 'in its A"open position'and the front piece down.

I have described the one seat and as heretofore.

mentioned, the other seat and its parts are made in an identical manner, but the seats are'dispo'sed facing each other. Thus, it will be seen that when the two seats are in their usable position, the respective front pieces 23 greatly limity .the floor area of the cockpit and any water that cornes over the combing or the stern of the Iboat will be confined between the twofront pieces 23 and the front and' rear 'bulkheads 2 'and 5.; Then if it is necessary to bale the water out' of the cockpit, it w'ill vbe 'confined between the two frontfpiecesof the seat and easier to`get'at lthan'i'it had down into the' bilge beneath'the 'cockpit o'orvor all over the normal cockpit floor'.

Of course, some water may' leak between the ends of the front pieces andthe bulkheads and although I have not shown the'e'nds o'f the'seats as being rubber lined; this" can be "done if so desired. l

Now, should it be desired-to put chairs inthe cockpit or should it be desired 'to utilize all the available space in the cockpit, it is a simple matter to swing the seats'totheiriespective out 'of the wayposition.

All that is necessaryto position the seat 1 under the deck is to first elevate it from its forward-edge until the front piece 23'clears the stops 21. Then the front piece 23 will lbe swung rearwardly a'n'dupwardly until its lower'edgeis' fitted within the cleat I8, as shown' in"'the"`dotted lines in Fig. '2. There is also shown a small 'hinged' supporting member 28 fastened to the cockpit floor that may be swung upwardly' to the dotted line `'position as shown in Fig. 2 to supportthe seat when'it is tucked beneath the deck 4.`

To open the s'eat, the operation is just reversed, that is, the small 'hinge member 28 is lowered and the seat swung forwardlyand upwardly until it occupies the full lineposition in Fig. '2,'A and then it may be slightly elevatedso `that the 'frontfpiece 23 may be dropped and clearthe s'top 21 and then lowered to its 'supporting'position shwn'ifn Fig. 2' '1., i A l.. .i From the foregoing it will. be seen that I have provided transom seats'that may be quicklyt and readily swung to' eitherr anopeablel ori'rniprablel position, and when in'thir operable position,- they' will conne any' water th'atg'ets nto the cockpit to a very restricted floor areajthusm'aking the boat safer in case of a' storni or' following sea etc. Many slight changes 'may be made withoutinf any way departing fromithe spirlt'and Scope ofthe invention.

Having thus described. the same what I claim -is new and desire to secure by Letters Patent'isf" 1. In' a boat having a cockpity and 'front and rear bulkheads defining the opposite' erds 'of the cockpit; together with oppositely .arranged lohgi' tudinally extending' 'pivotal` seats 'having their opposite ends abutting againstthe adjacent bulkheads, said pivotal seats'each provided with a' coextensively"extending lfront piece adapted to' support the seat when in its o'penl'po'sition, a exible strip arranged, alongtheflower. edges'- of the front pieces and. adapted to forina substantially water-tight connection` with the floor i the cockpit to thus reduce the area of the cockpit when the seats are in their open position each seat and its front piece normally nested in a vertical pgsitien .beneath thesleekans @arable @wringing viriver-.elly towards each @eher .and upwardly to a horizontal position when they are in their open position.

l"2. In a boat having a cockpit with a deck on .the opposite sides of the cockpit and front and rear bulkheads defining the opposite ends of the cockpit; 'together with oppositely arranged longitudinally extending pivotal seats having their opposite ends abutting against the adjacent bulkheads, said pivotal seats each provided with a pivotal swinging coextensively extending fr ont pice adapted vto'supportv the 'seat when in its open position and form a-szubstan-tially watertight connection with the floor of the cockpit to thus form a reduced-in-area and water-'tight cockpit when the seats are in their open positions 'and the said-seats also capable of being swung downwardly 'and-under the aforementioned decks after the front pieces have been swung upwardly.

' 3. In a boat having side decks, a cockpit and front and rear bulkheads defining the opposite ends of the cockpit; together with longitudinally extending oppositely opposed pivotal'seats extending the length of the cockpit and the ends abutting against the adjacent bulkheads, said pivotal seats each provided with a coextensive downwardly extending front piece adapted to support' the seat when in its open position, theA seats with their front pieces adapted to lie-swungv back under said decks when not in use and ther front pieces forming substantially longitudinal bulkheads to thus reduce the area of the cockpit when the front pieces are swung downwardly and support said seats.

4.7In a boat having side decks, cockpit and front and rear bulkheads defining the opposite ends' of the cockpit; together` with longitudinally extending' oppositely opposed seats extending the length of the cockpit and the ends abutting against the adjacent bulkhead; hangers and the said seatsrespectlvely pivotedl to said hangers and adapted to swing outwardly into. the cockpit or inwardly underthe decks, s'aid pivotal seats. each provided with acoextensive pivoted front piece and said front pieces adapted to swing downwardly and upwardly, meansfor securing` the said front pieces to theunder surface of saidV seats when swungwupwardlyeunder the seats andI thesaid front pieces when in their downward and seat-supporting position alsov actingas longitudinal bulkheads forsaid cockpit to thus reducethe area and also. form a water-tightf cockpit.

ARNO A. APEL.

EEFERENGES1-CIDERI The following references areof record in the fue; oi threatens UNTEl? STE 

